Heaviest element yet detected in an exoplanet atmosphere
Using the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope (ESO's VLT), astronomers have discovered the heaviest element ever found in an exoplanet atmosphere—barium. They were surprised to discover barium at high altitudes in the atmospheres o.....»»
Gravitational waves reveal “mystery object” merging with a neutron star
The so-called "mass gap" might be less empty than physicists previously thought. Enlarge / Artistic rendition of a black hole merging with a neutron star. LIGO/VIRGO/KAGRA detected a merger involving a neutron star and what might.....»»
Finding new chemistry to capture double the carbon
Finding ways to capture, store, and use carbon dioxide (CO2) remains an urgent global problem. As temperatures continue to rise, keeping CO2 from entering the atmosphere can help limit warming where carbon-based fuels are still needed......»»
First indications of a rare, rainbow ‘glory effect’ on hellish exoplanet
Researchers believe they may have identified a set of rainbow-like colorful rings, called a glory, on a planet outside our solar system for the first time......»»
Heat-trapping carbon dioxide and methane levels in the air last year spiked to record highs again
The levels of the crucial heat-trapping gases in the atmosphere reached historic highs last year, growing at near-record fast paces, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration......»»
Astronomers detect potential "glory effect" on a hellish distant world for the first time
Potential signs of the rainbow-like "glory effect" have been detected on a planet outside our solar system. Glory are colorful concentric rings of light that occur only under peculiar conditions......»»
Kerr-enhanced optical spring for next-generation gravitational wave detectors
The detection of gravitational waves stands as one of the most significant achievements in modern physics. In 2017, gravitational waves from the merger of a binary neutron star were detected for the first time which uncovered crucial information abou.....»»
ESA"s solar eclipse maker, Proba-3
Hundreds of millions of people will witness next week's total solar eclipse across North America, and solar physicists from around the globe are flocking to join them. Eclipses offer a brief glimpse of the sun's ghostly surrounding atmosphere—the s.....»»
Researchers envision sci-fi worlds involving changes to atmospheric water cycle
Human activity is changing the way water flows between the Earth and atmosphere in complex ways and with likely long-lasting consequences that are hard to picture......»»
Space scientists" new sensors shine spotlight on sun-Earth studies
Small, low-cost sensors developed by space scientists at The University of Texas at Dallas to study the Earth's upper atmosphere recently—and unexpectedly—provided information about the sun, something the devices were not designed to do......»»
A new estimate of US soil organic carbon to improve Earth system models
Soil contains about twice as much carbon as the atmosphere and plants combined. It is a major carbon sink, capable of absorbing more carbon dioxide from the atmosphere than it releases. Management of soil carbon is key in efforts to mitigate climate.....»»
Researchers discover corn reduces arsenic toxicity in soil
When crops grow in arsenic-contaminated soil, this toxic element accumulates in the food chain. A study involving the University of Basel has now discovered a mechanism used by corn plants to reduce arsenic uptake: the key factor is a special substan.....»»
Astronomers find 10 new millisecond pulsars in globular cluster Terzan 5
Using the MeerKAT radio telescope, an international team of astronomers has detected 10 new millisecond pulsars in a Galactic globular cluster known as Terzan 5. The finding, which makes Terzan 5 the most pulsar-rich globular cluster, was reported in.....»»
Cloud Active Defense: Open-source cloud protection
Cloud Active Defense is an open-source solution that integrates decoys into cloud infrastructure. It creates a dilemma for attackers: risk attacking and being detected immediately, or avoid the traps and reduce their effectiveness. Anyone, including.....»»
New "Eclipse Watch" tool shows eclipses from space any time
Do you wish you could see a total solar eclipse every day? With a new online tool called Eclipse Watch, you can observe the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona, in real time with eclipse-like images from space as we count down to the next total solar e.....»»
Engineers "symphonize" cleaner ammonia production
Among the many chemicals we use every day, ammonia is one of the worst for the atmosphere. The nitrogen-based chemical used in fertilizer, dyes, explosives and many other products ranks second only to cement in terms of carbon emissions, due to the h.....»»
What we know about the xz Utils backdoor that almost infected the world
Malicious updates made to a ubiquitous tool were a few weeks away from going mainstream. Enlarge / Malware Detected Warning Screen with abstract binary code 3d digital concept (credit: Getty Images) On Friday, researcher.....»»
New electrochemical technology could de-acidify the oceans—and even remove carbon dioxide in the process
In the effort to combat the catastrophic impacts of global warming, we must accelerate carbon emissions reduction efforts and rapidly scale strategies to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere and the oceans. The technologies for reducing ou.....»»
Arecibo Observatory telescope outfitted with a wideband cryogenic system to expand its capabilities
Constructed within a natural sinkhole in Puerto Rico, the 305-meter-wide Arecibo Telescope played a part in numerous discoveries, including the first detection of an exoplanet. It was the largest radio telescope in the United States from 1963 until i.....»»
New cataclysmic variable discovered by astronomers
By analyzing the data from ESA's XMM-Newton and Gaia satellites, astronomers from the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP) in Germany and elsewhere have detected a new magnetic cataclysmic variable system, most likely of the polar type. T.....»»
Magnetic avalanche triggered by quantum effects: "Barkhausen noise" detected for first time
Iron screws and other so-called ferromagnetic materials are made up of atoms with electrons that act like little magnets. Normally, the orientations of the magnets are aligned within one region of the material but are not aligned from one region to t.....»»